Traffic signal



Dec. zo, 1927.

J. CARTELLI TRAFFIC SIGNAL Filed June '7. 1925 5TOP , gageme .under surface of an actuating dlsc 18 supvto and rising from the base' Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

UNIT-ED STATES JOSEPH CARTELLI, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TnAFFic SIGNAL.

Application led June 7,

My invention relates to the class o f devices that are employed vfor automatically directing traiiic, and an object of my invention, among others, is the production of a device of this type that shall be simple 1n construction and particularly efficient in operation.

-One forni" of device embodying my 4invention and inthe construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view in elevatlon of my 11nproved signal in one of its forms.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing an-l other orm of the signal.

,Figure 3 is a. view, scale enlarged, illustrating the working unit embodied 1n my improved signal.

Figure 4 is' a view in side elevation of said working unit.

Figure 5 is a view in end elevation o the same.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 5 indicates the base of'my improve signal that may be constructed of any suitable material and in any desired form` and that may be provided with an opening closed by a door 6. the working unit of my improved signal being located within this case.

This working unit comprises a base plate 7 upon which the mechanism as a whole is supported and which base plate is secured in any suitable lnanner within the chamber in the base 5, the specific means of securing the base plate not being 8 is mounted upon the base plate, the sha-ft ofthe motor bearing a pinion 9 meshing with a gear 10 secured to. a driving shaft 11 mounted in `bearings in standards 12 secured late 7, there being one of these standar s preferably located near each end of the shaft-11. worm 13 on the shaft 11 mesles with a Worm gear 14 mounted on a vertical axis on a pedestal 15 secured to and rising from the base, said worm and gear having an actuating linger 16 projecting therefrom for ent with pins1'7` projecting from the ported on a shaft 19 mounted in bearings 1n a pedestal 2O securedto and rising from the base plate 7. The pins 17 are supported in the path of movement of the linger 16 so that, as the latter is revolved, it will shown herein'. A motor' 1926. Serial No. 114,056.

engage one a stcp-by-step movement to the disc 18, -in a manner that will be readily understood, it being noted that when the linger 16 is disengaged from one of the pins the next Succeeding pin will be located in the path of movement of said finger in its next revolution. A spring detent 21 may be employed to engage notches 22 in the disc 18 to frictionally hold the latter against movement except when rotated by the finger 16 engaging one of the pins 17.

A stud 23 projects from the face of the ,disc 18 imposition to engage slots in one member 24 of a'Geneva movement of 4ordinary and well known construction, the other member 25 of said movement being secured tothe face of the disc 18, and as shown in Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings, the member 25 being cut away as at 26, in a manner common to these movements, to permit rotation of the member 24 when a slot therein is engaged by the stud 23, and as shown in .Figure 3 of the drawings,'it. being underd stood that' the member 24 is held against rotating movement when thearecesses 27 in lthe arms thereof are fully engaged by the circular periphery of themember 25.

The member 24 is secured to an indicating shaft 28 mounted in bearings in a bracket 29 rising from the base, said shaft being preferably hollow for the passage of electric wires to be hereinater described.

of said pins and thereby impart From this description it will be noted that as the motor 8 is rotated .a on@ step movement is imparted to the disc 18 at each rotation ofthe gear 14, and, in the'construction herein shown, there being eight of the pins 17 a complete rotation of the disc 18 takes place after'eight revolutions of the finger 16 and therefore a quarter rotation of the mem-A ber 24 ofthe Geneva movement will ltake place at'each eighth revolution of the finger 16. The shaft 28 may be sgpported, if

dei. l

sired, upon a step ball bearing30, as shown 1.0.

in Figure 4 of the drawings.

It may be noted` that the shaft 28 may bev utilized invarious ways for carrying my invent-ion intoeifect. For instance: as shown in Figure 1, lthe shaft may .be utilized forv turning an indicating device inthe form of an image 31 that may be displayed as a traicoiiicer, each quarter rotation of the shaftlplacing the image at angles of ninety degreesfrom its preceding positions. In

i this form of the device a plate 32 is secured ywill be sounded. A light 33 receives -cam 43 and the linger 60-will to the shaft 28 and the image 31 is secured vto the plate. 'A light' indicator 33 may also be supported on the plate 32 as upon a staff 34, which staff may be supported by the image. This provides two forms of a visual indicator in the device. i

being supplied with air as by means of afan 36 secured to and driven by a shaft 37 connected by a'pinion 38 and gear 39 with' the shaft 11.

The emission of a currentoof air caused by the fan 36 may be controlled by a valve 40 secured at the end of a valve lever 41 operated by a valve finger 42 secured wto the lever and projecting in the path of a. valve actuatingv cam 43 secured to the surface of the member 25 of the Geneva movement. The

Whistle maybe positioned Yto conduct the sound through a whistle'outlet 44 in the base `5,.and the image may be supplied with an imitation whistle 45, if desired.

An audible signal in the form of an electricallyv operated bell 4 6 may also be provided, this bell being secured to the shaft 28 if desired so that it will be located opposite the opening l47 each time the shaft comes to rest. (The showingof the bell -in Figure 4 is diagrammatic). When the bell is used in connection with the image it may be l0- cated inside of the image, lines-in Figure 1. v

, The bell is electrically operated as by means of wires 48-49 extendmfr to contacts 50-51 adapted to rest a ainst'the periphery of discs52 secured to he shafto 28. The contacts 50 -51 are secured to a rock shaft 53 mounted in .a bearing rising from the base of the` machine, a spring54 being em-' ployed to rock the press the contacts-'O-l against the discs 52. Wires -55-56 connect the contacts 50---51 with any suitable source l57 of electricity, which source is also supplied by Wires 58-59 to the motor 8. .Y

A linger 60 extends from the shaft 53 in the path of movement of a cam 61 mounted on the member 25 of the'Geneva movement.

.From this description, taken in connection with the drawing, it will be noted that each time the shaft 28 is given a partial rotation the finger 42 will 'ney engaged by the be engaged by the cam 61- whereby both of the audible signals, including the whistle and the bell,

its energy through wires 63-64, conductors 65-66, and wires 67-68' from the source- 57 hereinbefore referred to.

a number of advantages, amongst whic 4is the fact that, in operatlon it lmore nearly approaches the activ1t1s oi Ivolves a as shown in dotted shaft in a direction tol The arran` ement of trac signal thus set` forth provi a human traiiic oiicer, yalthough the operation is entirely mechanism controlled.- The control by an eiiicient trac oiiicer provides thebest type of control, since it enables the latter to actually. visio'nthetraiiic conditions 70 and yto provide for rapid movement of the' traffic, one of the advantages being that he An audible indicator inthe form of a' whistle 35 may be employed, vthe whistle definitely establish the new conditions withno delay. This is one of the diiculties which are present when a mechanical signal` arrangement is substituted, due' to thev inability to provide the rapid semaphore movements within a mechanism which is being operated onv a time-control basis. With signal lights as the control means thev rapid change' can be provided by the location of contacts, lbut Wherefthe action'inpurely mechanical action as, forinstance, t e rotation of a semaphore shaft, 85 the diiiculty becomes apparent.

In the present invention, this condition is met by the general mechanism disclosed. For instance, assuming that theshaft 28 is designed tobe shifted at intervals-.fof two 90 minutes (120 seconds), it will be understood that wheel 18 is Arotated once during this period.- However, this rotation is step-byf step with each increment4 of advance equal to oneeighth vof'a revolution (in the par- 95 ticular form illustrated), so that each advance includes-an angular movement of' wheel 18 a distance equal to 45, with the time between advance movements equal to fifteen seconds. However, the time required to make the advance is but a fraction of this period of fteen seconds, since it iscontrolled by the movement of gear 14 which, under this two-minute time "assumption, would rotate once in the fifteen.' "Seconds, 105 since one rotation of wheel 14, advances i wheel 18 the distance of 45. Since member 16 is active in this advance for an ual distanceof travel-substantially 45 of the travel of wheel llt-it will be understood that the advance of wheel 18 from one ste to the next, will be completed lWithin this fraction of the movement of ywhefel 14, the result being that while the intervals of ste by-'step movements of wheel 18 are approx1- 115 mately fifteen seconds, the actual time re. quired in the advance" is approximately two seconds (one-eighth of thetime required forjone revolution of wheel 14.) Henc`e, it is evident that the time requiredto v'shift 120' the aftv 28 from position to position will be a prinximat'ely two seconds, "S- since such f movement is completed during'thef'pe'riod of activityof member 16 with 'one of the pins 17, thus'approachin :more closely theactivi- 125 ties of the trahie o cer'at such time. 'I lie advantage of this comes .from the fact that the time required to change is too short .to set up-conditions of doubt inthe minds of drivers. For instance, should the time of By the rapid ch change from one position to the other take a period of say twenty seconds, the semaphore or other' signal would be in neither position during this period, and difficulties in traflic can ensue from the fact .that a driver may attempt to cross by considering this period a prolonging of the set period, and at the same time the intersecting driver ma consider this period as anticipating, an hence attempt to make the crossing. ange, the difficulty is greatly overcome since the signal shift is so short that a driver knows he cannot cross during the period, and hence, with the warning given by the audible signal,no lattempt is made to cross excepting when the'signal is properly set.

With this rapid change condition, the 'audible signal is of importance, as is the time during which it is o rative. Byy placing the control of this timing on the male Geneva gear, accuracy isprovided and' at the same time the length of activity can be readily controlled. In the arrangement shown the whistle `cam 43 is shown as active, while the Geneva movement is yjust becoming active to rotate shaft 28. If cam 43 is positioned to sound the whistle as 16 becomes active to rotate the wheel .18, and the whistle will become active as the turning of the semaphore begins. If the cam 43 becomes active in advance of actual movement of wheel 18 by member 16, the whistle will be active during the period of dwell of wheel 18 before the vactual change begins-'- in the time illustration above given, this activity would cover a period of fifteen seconds in advance of the turning of uthe semaphore and continue during al part or allof that period. The same, ,of course, is true in connection ith the bell sign l. Both of these could therefore be consideredpas warning signals.

The arrangement 4.not only has these ad- 'van-tages but carries the additional advantage of having gear fair s eed-fifteen seconds per revolution 1n the a ove illustration as to time. A motor drive is essentially high-speed, with'a small` motor, in order to obtain the power essential in rotating the signal, and the particular arrangement shown permits these conditions to be present without requiring a large 4casing to contain reduction gearing capable of pi'ovidiner the desired time interval with a liigh-spee motor. The arrangement thus provides for a. rather compact operating case such as will not materially interfereA with thetraic.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the princi les of operation of my invention,

n to ther with the device which I now consir to fil re resent the-best embodiment thereof; but .1 esire to have it understood that the device '1. An automatic shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means an applied to uses other than those' above set out. I. i

vI claim- 1- traffic-signal mechanism comprising a supporting means rovided with a` vertically disposed rotatab e shaft, visual signal means supported and operated by said shaft, ta-tive iinpulsesto said shaft to alternately display `desired signals to the trafiic to be controlled, said last named means including a female Geneva gear fixed on saidshaft and having a male Geneva gear cooperating therewith, a motor, means operated by said motor for imparting an intermittent step by step rotative movement to'said male Geneva gear, and frictional means to prevent accidental turning of ysaid male Geneva geul.. I

2., comprising with a vertically visual signal'means supported and opera supportingv means provided means for imparting ro- An automatic traffic lsignal mechanism disposed rotatable shaft, l

.ated by said shaft, meansfor imparting ro- Y tative impulses `tosaid shaftto alternately display desired signals to the traffic to be controlled,fsaid last named means including a female Geneva gear `fixed on said shaft and having ai male Geneva gear cooperating therewith, a motor, means operated 'by said motor for imparting an intermittent step by Step rotative movement to said male Geneva gear, and frictional means t'o prevent accidental turning of said male Geneva gear, an audible signal, and controlling means for the signal operativelyassociated with said male Geneva gear for causing. .sounding fof said signal'upomeach rotative impulse of the shaft. 8. An automatic trac signal'mechanism comprising a supporting means l rovided with a vertically disposed rotatab eshaft, visual signal means supported and operated by said shaft, means'for imparting ro` j to alternately display desired signals to the traic to be controlled, said last namedv means including la female Geneva gear fixed on said shaft and having a male Geneva gear cooperating therewith, a motor, means operated by said motor for imparting an intermittent step by step rotative movement to said male Geneva gear, andifrictional means to prevent accidentaltur'ningof said male Geneva gear,'a fan driven by said motor, a whistle operatively aociated with said fan, and means y normally renderingthe whistle inoperative and operatively associated with the male\ tatiye' movement to 'asse'ciated with said fan, mally rendering the whistleinoperative and neva gear for causing sounding of said signal upon each rotative imnulse ofthe shaft, the operative connection between the signal controlling means and the male Geneva gear embodying a cam fixed to and movable with said. latter gear-and an actuating arm on .the controlling means disposed in the path of movement of said cam.

- I 5. An automatic traflic signal mechanism comprising ai supporting means 4provided with avertically disposed rotatable slaft, visual signal means supported and operated by said shaft,l means for imparting rotative ini'pulses to said shaft to alternately display desired signals to the traiic to be controlled, saidlast named-means including a female Geneva 'O'fear fixed on said isha t and having a malefie'neva. gear cooperating therewith, a motr, means opera-ted by said motor .for

"imparting anintermittent step by steprotatrve-movement to .sald male Geneva gear,

and--frictional means to prevent accidental turning of said male Geneva gear, aff'a-n driven by said motor, a wh-istle operatively nd means noroperatiyely associated witll'the male Geneva gear -to -render the whistle. operative upon each rotative impulse othe'sha-ft, said suppcrting'means' comprising-.a hollow base having a sound, emitting opening. -and said base.

6. In automatic trailic 'signal mechanism, wherein a vertical shaftcarrymg a slgnal structure is given an intermittent rotative movement through a fixed angular distance at predetermined tuned mtervals to.1nter gear and carrying an actuator, a rotatable and means intermediate the vfan and Whistle being mounted within-said element carrying a plurality of spaced Inem-v bers adapted to be successlvely engaged by the actuator to impart a step-by-step advance to the element by the actuator, and a Geneva stop mechanism interposed between' said element and the shaft with the female Geneva gear renderedactive at intervals of time Within which a step movements of the element have been made manifest, the activitybf the female Geneva gear movement being completed during the'time period of activity of the actuator and one of the element members, whereby the movement of the signal shaft between successive positions will" be com-' pleted within a relatively short period of the tiine iinterval between successive positioning's'ethesignal.

7. Signalr'mechanism as in claim 6 char.- acterized by an audible signal adapted to be rendered active relative to the period of signal movement, means for rendering the "audible signal active, and means for controlling the time of such activity, said latter means including an element carried by and movable with the male member of the Geneva movement.

' Josera cAR'rELLi.

plurality of step-by.A 

